Ross Perot is 78 years old today. He is a successful businessman (founder of both Electronic Data Systems and Perot Systems), one of the wealthiest people in America, and a former presidential candidate (1992 and 1996).

“Lead and inspire people. Don’t try to manage and manipulate people. Inventories can be managed but people must be led.”

Ross Perot (b. 6.27.1930)

Woodrow Wilson (no relation) was born 151 years ago today.
If you lose your wealth, you have lost nothing. If you lose your health, you have lost something. But if you lose your character, you have lost everything.
Woodrow Wilson
28th President of the United States (b. 12.28.1856 – d. 02.03.1924)

Today we celebrate the birthday of my all-time favorite teacher, who once said:
Keep looking, and you will find… Everyone who seeks, finds.

Growing up just a few miles from Will Rogers’ hometown in Oklahoma, we were frequently regaled with his wit and wisdom. His legend loomed large over the local culture, and his name graced everything from streets to schools to buildings.
One of my favorite quotes from Will Rogers:

Even if you’re on the right track, you’ll get run over if you just sit there.

Will Rogers (b. 11/4/1879 – d. 8/15/1935)

Bill Gates celebrates his 52nd birthday today. As the world’s richest man for 13 years running (Forbes “400 List” 1993-2006), Gates has certainly earned the right offer a bit of wisdom about about success.
Success is a lousy teacher. It seduces smart people into thinking they can’t lose.

- Bill Gates (b. 10/28/1955)

In honor of Teddy Roosevelt’s birthday, I wanted to share a bit of his wisdom:
“The best executive is the one who has sense enough to pick good men to do what he wants done, and self-restraint enough to keep from meddling with them while they do it.”
 
Teddy Roosevelt
26th President of the United States (1901 – 1909)

b. 10/27/1858, d. 1/06/1919

Art Buchwald would have been 82 today.
During his years as a Pulitzer Prize-winning Washington Post columnist, he often made me think about things differently.
And whether I agreed with him or not, he almost always made me smile.
“We seem to be going through a period of nostalgia, and everyone seems to think yesterday was better than today. I don’t think it was, and I would advise you not to wait 10 years before admitting today was great. If you’re hung up on nostalgia, pretend today is yesterday and just go out …

The “Iron Lady” turns 82 today. One of my favourite quotes about power comes from her:
“Being powerful is like being a lady. If you have to tell people you are, you aren’t.”
The Rt. Honorable The Baroness Margaret Thatcher
(b. October 13, 1925)

We enjoy watching the TV show American Inventor. During a recent episode, my son observed that the most successful ideas are not all that revolutionary. Rather, they are improvements to an existing product or idea, or a new way to combine ideas.
The winner of this year’s contest is a product called “The Guardian Angel,” which combines the venerable Christmas tree topper with a modified sprinkler system. Firefighter Greg Chavez invented this product to protect families from Christmas tree fires.
Sometimes we try to dig too deep, when the next great …

More leaders could use a dose of self-awareness, like Reeko (the skunk) in Stuart Little 3: Call of the Wild:

“I always thought they didn’t want me around because I was a skunk, well…you know it turns out they didn’t want me around because I was a jerk.”
Self-awareness is the first step in discovering your purpose. What were you created to do?
(Thanks to Michael at the Leading Blog.)